


Day 091

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [91]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:15:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23420794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [91]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 091

Temvin stepped onto the docks of Kirkwall with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. He was no stranger to danger, but he had heard some worrying things about the Carta in Kirkwall. Their leader was a berserker, some said, in a vicious gang war with the Coterie, said others. By all accounts their activities in Kirkwall had left behind many dead, both their own and others.

That was half the reason he had made the damnable trek. Dwarves were not meant to sail on boats.

Temvin carried with him an official writ from house Brosca. In an attempt to bolster their personal power, they had been recruiting members of every cast to their banner. This was standard when a paragon was named but usually the new house didn’t look outside Orzammar, sometimes not even outside the Diamond Quarter. House Brosca, having been founded by a casteless who now lived on the surface, was a bit less restrictive in their thinking. Temvin had been sent to Kirkwall to offer amnesty to any Carta members who wanted to work for house Brosca. Not respectable work of course, even King Bhelen had to draw the line somewhere, but anything not normally the purview of another cast with an allowance to marry members of the servant cast, thus giving their children a fifty/fifty chance at a decent life.

No one in their right minds would just approach the Carta, especially to try to poach their members. That was the surest way to end up in a forgettable cave with a knife in your lungs. Fortunately, Temvin had done his research before coming and knew who to talk to about discreetly contacting… well anyone in the city.

“Varric Tethras?” he asked, sitting down at a table in the back of a tavern called ‘The Hanged Man.’ 

“Well that really depends I think,” the man replied. Temvin was quite sure he had the correct person. A bright silk shirt, a private table, and a smile that said he was everyone’s best friend.

Temvin caught the eye of a human server. “Another drink for Varric Tethras,” he said. She nodded and quickstepped off to the bar. Temvin looked at Varric, awaiting his response.

“You, I like,” he said. “You must not be from the merchant’s guild.”

“I represent Her Majesty, Rica Brosca,” he said. “Queen of Orzammar.”

“What could the proper Orzammar dwarves want with us lowly surface folk,” Tethras asked. His expression soured and Temvin began to worry about how smoothly his mission would go.

“The Brisca house is very new,” he explained. “They are expanding their influence. We know house Tethras is well connected with diverse holding and-”

“Let me stop you right there,” Varric said. “I’m not in the habit of working with Paragons or nobles or anyone who might get the idea they are too important to pay their bills.”

“I assure you that house Brosca will behave honourably in their dealings with you. We were founded by the warden who defeated an Archdemon. We will not sully that reputation over mere money.”

“All right,” Varric said, throwing his hands up in surrender. “Look. Most of the family businesses are registered, officially, in my cousin Elmund’s name. If you want an ‘official’ partnership you’ll have to convince him first. I can arrange a meeting between the two of you later this week.”

“That would be splendid,” Temvin said. The business with the Carta could wait until he had a better relationship with House Tethras. “I will be renting a room here so you can let me know when the arrangements are made.” 

“Great,” Varric replied. Temvin took his leave and went to make his arrangements with the owner. The first step in any negotiation was finding out who held the real power. For House Tethras, it seemed to be this Elmund fellow. Temvin looked forward to seeing what kind of man he was.


End file.
